Distillery extends biomass community scheme
By Adam Forrest

A TOWN in the far north of Scotland will soon be home to the world's first "whisky-powered" hospital. Cutting-edge energy technology is already allowing waste heat from the Pulteney Distillery in Wick to be piped into homes in the northern town - and from October, Caithness General Hospital is to be connected to the unique, environmentally friendly power supply.

The Caithness Heat and Power (CHaP) project has been providing energy to 270 homes since last December through a biomass, wood-burning power source at the malt whisky distillery. The aim is to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty faced by many elderly residents and low-income families during long, harsh winters.

Project manager Peter Creasey described the £5 million scheme as "ground-breaking". He said: "Every bit of useful energy from the gasified woodchip can be turned into hot water or electricity, so it's zero carbon. It is extremely low-cost and is already saving connected householders between £15 to £20 a week. The hospital will soon be able to benefit by reducing its costs and its carbon footprint."

Most of the homes currently connected are rented council property in the Pulteney area, but over the next few months pipelines are being laid and heating systems installed across Wick. Around 500 council-owned homes will find their central heating bills reduced to as little as £7.50 a week.

The community company intends to expand the project to include many other public buildings, including Pulteney House, Wick High School and the town's care home.

According to Creasey: "Our long-term strategy is to have the whole of Wick on the district heating scheme, so the whole town becomes carbon neutral. You'd hope everyone would want to jump on the bandwagon."

Highland councillors hope the scheme can be implemented in other towns and villages in the county, possibly Thurso, Lybster and Halkirk. Councillor Graeme Smith, a director of CHaP, said: "The project is the first of its type in Scotland and CHaP is proud to have brought the idea to an area of Caithness where ever-rising fuel prices are a real issue.

"The people have a chance to take part in an exciting development which should save them money and contribute to a reduction of carbon emissions."

CHaP was set up in 2005 as a not-for-profit partnership between Pulteney Distillery, Highland Council and Pulteneytown People's Project. The idea that excess thermal energy generated in whisky distillation could be boosted to a higher temperature in a woodchip-fired boiler was considered daring but workable. It received initial funding from the European Regional Development Fund and Energy Saving Trust.

After visiting the Pulteney Distillery, environment minister Mike Russell said the pioneering scheme had the potential to be used elsewhere in Scotland. "I was enormously impressed by this project," he said. "This is world-beating technology providing a valuable service to the hospital and community of Wick."

He added: "This a model district heating scheme that I hope will inspire co-operative action in many other towns around Scotland."

When it becomes fully operational later this year, the plant will require 30,000 tons of woodchip annually. At present, forests around Caithness could supply its needs for 25 years.

Russell also announced that a £3m funding package would be provided to create woodlands to help allay fears that biomass business would be a threat to forestry. The minister estimated that the creation of around 2000 hectares of forest would be needed to supply the industry.

The CHaP project has been given the seal of approval by the Forestry Commission Scotland and was recognised as best community initiative at the Scottish Green Energy Awards.

Graham MacWilliam, manager of Pulteney's parent company Inver House Distillers, said: "To have won such a prestigious award is testament to how ground-breaking the initiative is.

"We're delighted that our distillery is going to play such a key role in helping the Wick community."